Ken Honda - Happy Money: Understand and Heal Your Relationship with Money

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Be supported on your happy money journey!

Creating flow and happiness with money is most easily done with others.

If you would like support, additional resources, and to connect to a community of people learning to embrace happy money, please join us at www.KenHonda.com/community.

Gallery Books

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Copyright 2019 by Ken Honda

All rights reserved, including the right to reproduce this book or portions thereof in any form whatsoever. For information, address Gallery Books Subsidiary Rights Department, 1230 Avenue of the Americas, New York, NY 10020.

Note to reader: Certain names and other characteristics have been changed. In a few instances, persons portrayed are composites.

Extract from The Soul of Money printed by permission of Lynne Twist.

First Gallery Books hardcover edition June 2019

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Interior design by Kyle Kabel

Jacket design by Richard Yoo

Jacket author photograph by Alfie Goodrich

Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data is available.

ISBN 978-1-5011-8837-4

ISBN 978-1-5011-8839-8 (ebook)

To all the people in my life who have shared their experiences with me and who showed me the beautiful things that money can achieve, as well as the ugly ways that it can affect us, this book is for you.

A few years ago, I had a unique experience that became the inspiration for the concept and title of this book. A woman whom I had just met at a party asked if she could take a look at my wallet.

As shocking as this question might be to some, it isnt particularly uncommon in Japanese culture to ask to see the contents of someones wallet. And since there were many other people in the room, I wasnt afraid she would run away with my identityor my money. So with little hesitation, I handed her my leather wallet.

I was a little startled, however, when she immediately went for the cash and began taking out all the large bills.

This ones okay. This ones good. This ones good too, she said quietly to herself as she assessed each bill. For a moment I thought she was searching for something in particular. Perhaps there are special symbols or markings on the bills? But I soon realized she wasnt looking for anything of the sort. Then she shocked me again and began sorting the bills in a way I had never seen before.

Good job. All of your money looks good, she said as she put the newly organized money back into the wallet and handed it back to me.

Thats great news, I said, confused yet somewhat relieved to have passed her test. But, if you dont mind me asking, what were you looking for?

Oh, I was checking to see whether or not your money was smiling.

She went on to explain that money can laugh or cry depending on how it was given or received. If it is given out of guilt, anger, or sadness, the money will be crying. In contrast, if the money is given out of love, gratitude, or happiness, the money will be smilingeven laughingbecause it will be imbued with the positive energy from the giver.

Money has the ability to smile or cry?

Money changes when it is given with a certain energy or feeling?

WHAT?

Even though I was already financially well-off at the time and thought I knew much about money, I was taken aback by these insights. You see, I had always been very fortunate with money. At the age of twenty, I made a choice to be happy and wealthy by the age of thirty. So I started my own consulting and accounting business, and during my twenties I helped many people with their financial and business needs.

In the process, I did all rightin fact, well enough that at the age of twenty-nine, when my wife and I had just welcomed a newborn baby girl into our lives, I had the freedom to decide to stay home and raise her. Those were some of the happiest days of my lifeand it was the best decision I ever made. Not just because I was able to spend as much time with my daughter as possible, but also because it was with her that I discovered my second career: helping millions of others lead happy, prosperous, and peaceful lives.

It all happened when I was at a park with my daughter on a gorgeous day. We were happily playing, when I saw a mother and her young daughterwho was about the same age as my own daughterfighting. The mother was distressed and in a hurry. She yelled, Your mom has to go to work! So lets go home. But the little one kept saying to her mother, We just got here. I want to play more! Please! After a few minutes of battle, the reluctant little girl was dragged by her mother back home. I felt so terrible for the girl and her mother. I knew that if that mother had a choice, she would have wanted to stay in the park too. After all, it was a beautiful and sunny day. What parent wouldnt want to be outside playing with their child? At that moment, I decided I needed to do something. I wanted to help not just this mother but all parents and people struggling to make ends meet. I wanted to take away her pain, stress, and frustration. So that very afternoon, after my own daughter was tired of playing, I decided I would write a short essay that would impart the wisdom I had gained over the years about making money and becoming prosperous.

When I first began, I thought I could write only five pages. But when I was finished for the day, I was amazed to see that I had written twenty-six pages in one sitting. I got so excited that I printed the essay out, stapled the pages together, and immediately started giving them away to friends. To my surprise, they loved it. Soon strangers began to call me and say they had heard about it and wanted copies of their own. So every day for several days I printed copies, stapled them together, and sent them to whoever wanted one. However, I quickly tired of stapling booklets together each day. After complaining to a friend about the process, he suggested a local printer. The salesperson on the phone talked me into ordering a 3,000 print run to cut down on costs. And, without thinking, I said okay!